Washington:
Prosecutors within the trial of the person accused of attacking Salman Rushdie instructed jurors Monday that the writer got here “dangerously near dying” in a frenzied assault that left him blind in a single eye.
Hadi Matar, a 27-year-old Lebanese-American who mentioned “free Palestine” as he was led into courtroom, is charged with tried homicide and assault over the August 12, 2022 assault at an arts occasion within the west of New York state.
Matar is accused of stabbing Rushdie about 10 instances with a knife, leaving him in grave situation and with out sight in his proper eye.
Prosecutor District Legal professional Jason Schmidt instructed how Rushdie, who has confronted dying threats because the launch of his 1988 novel “The Satanic Verses,” had simply taken his seat within the amphitheater in entrance of about 1,000 folks.
“A younger medium construct man sporting darkish coloured facemask… appeared from the rear of the theater,” Schmidt mentioned. “As soon as on the stage he quickly accelerated right into a full-out run.”
“(Matar) forcefully and effectively and with velocity plunged the knife into Mr Rushdie over and time and again… swinging, slashing into Mr Rushdie’s head, neck, stomach, higher thigh.”
Schmidt mentioned Rushdie raised his arms to defend himself however remained seated after a number of blows landed.
 “The Satanic Verses” was declared blasphemous by Iran’s supreme chief, and the Indian-born author, a naturalized American based mostly in New York, has lengthy confronted safety dangers.
– ‘Attacked Islam’? –
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a fatwa, or non secular edict, in 1989 calling on Muslims wherever on the planet to kill Rushdie.
Hezbollah endorsed the fatwa, the FBI has mentioned, and Matar faces a separate prosecution in federal courtroom on terrorism prices.
Matar, who wore a blue shirt and incessantly conferred together with his five-strong authorized group within the ornate courtroom Monday, beforehand instructed the New York Submit that he had solely learn two pages of Rushdie’s novel however believed the writer had “attacked Islam.”
Rushdie, now 77, suffered a number of stab wounds earlier than attendees and guards may subdue the attacker, later recognized by police as Matar.
Matar got here “dangerously shut” to killing Rushdie, Schmidt claimed, reporting that he stabbed the writer by means of the proper eye with such ferocity “it severed the optical nerve.”
Rushdie’s Adam’s apple was additionally partially lacerated, and his liver and small bowel penetrated.
“His blood stress was low he misplaced a lot blood,” mentioned the prosecutor.
– Life underneath fatwa –
Considered one of Matar’s attorneys, Lynn Schaffer, mentioned in a gap argument punctuated Tremendous Bowl references and bouts of coughing that prosecutors would search to current the case as “easy — open and shut.”
“Take note of the assumptions that the police witnesses make… how does that shade the best way they examine this case?” she mentioned. “They assume issues about Mr Matar that have an effect on the best way they examine.”
A big media presence has gathered within the small lakefront resort city of Mayville close to the Canadian border to observe the trial.
Matar’s protection group sought a delay within the case as his main lawyer has been hospitalized, however choose David Foley denied that.
Matar’s aspect had beforehand sought to have the trial moved from Mayville, close to the place Rushdie was attacked, arguing a good trial from the 12 jurors and 4 alternates recruited from the native space was unimaginable.
Rushdie lived in seclusion in London for the primary decade after the fatwa was issued, however for the previous 20 years — till the assault — he lived a comparatively regular life in New York.
He was not in courtroom Monday.
Final 12 months, he printed a memoir known as “Knife” during which he recounted the near-death expertise.
“Why did not I struggle? Why did not I run? I simply stood there,” Rushdie wrote.
Iran has denied any hyperlink to the attacker — however mentioned solely Rushdie was in charge for the incident.
“I’m happy with the work I’ve executed, and that very a lot contains ‘The Satanic Verses.’ If anybody’s in search of regret, you may cease studying proper right here,” Rushdie wrote.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
